Half an hour after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls yesterday, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator from Malad (East) lodged a complaint against a Congress MP from North-Mumbai for allegedly violating the model code of conduct

Half an hour after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls yesterday, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator from Malad (East) lodged a complaint against a Congress MP from North-Mumbai for allegedly violating the model code of conduct.

Sanjay Nirupam

Corporator Vinod Shelar complained to the election office in Kandivli that Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam conducted a ‘bhoomi pujan’ for repair work on civic roads after the code came into effect. He also filed a complaint with the Dindoshi police station.

Demanding strong punitive action against the MP, Shelar said, “This is the first complaint to be registered in the city and the election officer should take strong action against Nirupam for violating the code of conduct.”

MP respondsNirupam, however, refuted all allegations. He said, “The bhoomi pujan was not done by me and all allegations made by Vinod Shelar are false.” He further added that it was a pre-planned programme and he, along with 100 Congress party workers, was only visiting the roads in Malad.

“I told my party workers that the model code of conduct has been imposed and hence would not be able to do the bhoomi pujan. I suggested that they do it on their own. The BJP is politicising the issue,” said Nirupam.

EC takes noteThe election office in Kandivli (East) has taken serious note of the complaint. “We have asked Dindoshi police station to submit a report in this case. As soon as we get the report, we will forward it to the state election commissioner,” said FP Pinto, returning officer at the election office.

>> BJP corporator Vinod Shelar lodged complaint at Dindoshi police station and local election office>> Said Nirupam performed bhoomi pujan after polls were announced